Tears of the Sightless Eye
by Darten
Summary: Diablo II with a more in depth and personal adventure. Act 1 starts with Blood Raven and her rogues' return from Tristram from the viewpoints of Akara, Kashya, and more Rouges from the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye. Rated M for violence.
1. Prologue: The Celebration

_This story will detail the events of Diablo 2, populating the game's version with more detailed characters. If anyone reads this and would like me to continue, I will, I just figured I need some inspiration, need to find out if this in any good or interesting to anyone here. This is the first fanfic I wrote and English is not my first language so I apologize if I made any big mistakes._

_This is a prologue, the rest of the story is more fast-paced. _

_Thank you for your time._

* * *

><p>Akara lit another candle. The small light flickered in the gloom of the cathedral, lighting her solemn face under the hood of her purple robe.<p>

The great stone torches were already lit, the sound of crackling fire echoed in the nave. The shadows of the rustic wooden furniture and the stone sarcophaguses danced on the walls and the broad columns. The altar stood in the front under a roof with carvings of religious figures. It wasn't a grandiose cathedral, but nevertheless it was a pleasure to look upon.

At the other wall was a young rogue named Hannah. She seemed thoughtful as she spread the light with her candle in hand like the High Priestess. She was rounding her small but rather thick lips, forming a question in her mind.

'What do you think will happen, Akara?' she asked finally. She stopped doing her task and turned to the Priestess. Akara did not do the same.

'What do you mean?' she asked back while she walked to another table full of unlit candles. Hannah was sure the woman knew the answer to her question, but she answered anyway. Akara was like that, there was nothing to do about it.

'I mean Tristram,' the rogue said. 'It's been a while since our Sisters went to fight… the Lord of Terror.'

She said the title of the Prime Evil Diablo with dread. She wasn't a coward of course, she was a trained rogue. But the thought of demons always scared her.

Akara finally stopped to turn to the girl. 'Such demons of the Burning Hells cannot walk this world for long, even if they are powerful as Diablo,' she said. 'They have no right to be here, and no matter how hard they try they will be defeated.'

'But all that death and suffering,' Hannah shook her head hopelessly. 'How can a mortal being defeat a Lord of Hell?'

'Remember that the High Heavens are with us, Hannah,' said Akara and stepped closer. 'Have confidence in the abilities of the inhabitants of this world. We will not let Diablo take over our land.'

'Maybe I am too weak for confidence' said the girl. She was quieter with every word she had spoken.

'No, you are not,' said Akara in a soothing voice. 'You are a Sister of the Sightless Eye as much as I am. We live in this monastery together. You don't have to face dangers alone. Have confidence, child.'

This little speech wasn't revolutionary, but it worked. Hannah raised her head, then did a strong nod. 'You are right, Akara. Forgive me for bringing this up.'

'If you haven't brought it up, you would be troubled still,' said the High Priestess. 'Thank you for letting me help you.'

Hannah smiled, and turned back to light the candles. Akara did the same with a peaceful look on her face. She had only a few wrinkles in the corner of her eyes, making her seem younger than she were. She had silvery blue eyes which could comfort a soul looking for help but pierce a dishonest one just as easily.

A while later, when she was almost ready lighting the cathedral she stopped again, concentrating. There were loud, cheerful noises coming from outside quieted down by the thick walls of the church. They must had come from the monastery gate.

* * *

><p>Kashya heard the cheering outside when she was sitting in her quarters at a table reading a book. She looked up and thought for a while. Then her green eyes widened in anticipation as she realized what could be happening.<p>

She stood up leaving the book open, and stepped out of the room. She saw two rogues in the corridor, both hurrying towards the outer cloister. Another rogue captain, Gaile opened her door in front of Kashya, looking out.

'What's the cheering?' she asked.

'I don't know,' said Kashya. 'I'm going to see it now.'

'Right. I'm coming too,' said Gaile and followed Kashya.

Kashya was not the prettiest Sister in the monastery, but her long red hair was sure unique. She was taller than most too with her long, muscular legs and slender neck.

She hurried past the doors of the corridor, passed the smithy, then reached the gate of the barracks. Outside, in the cross-shaped outer cloister she saw a crowd of Sisters standing near the great fountain around someone she couldn't see but nevertheless she knew who she was.

She could not hide her joy as she worked her way amongst the laughing, cheerful rogues. Some of them were already heading back to the barracks, probably to spread the word to the ones who stayed there.

First she saw Charsi the blacksmith hopping happily like a little girl, with her blond hair and rather full figure. And in front of Charsi was a woman with dark red hair, a face with pretty but strong features and light blue eyes. Blood Raven.

She was back!

She was smiling at Charsi and nodding to something she said. Next to her were five other rogues, and while Kashya was glad to see them, she couldn't shake the thought from the back of her mind that there were forty of them who went with Blood Raven to fight the Lord of Terror at Tristram.

However this was no time for grief. She stood behind Charsi, smiling. Blood Raven recognized her and answered with a warm, loving smile Kashya didn't see for almost a year now.

'Kashya!' she said in joy. Charsi stepped aside giggling. Raven spread her hands, and Kashya jumped in her arms. The two fierce warriors embraced each other like innocent girls. Kashya almost cried.

'I'm glad you're back' she said over her friend's shoulder.

'And I'm glad to be back' said Raven.

When they parted and saw each other's faces again Kashya asked: 'Is it over, Raven? Have you defeated Diablo?'

'Yes,' nodded Raven. 'It's all over now. The world is at peace again.'

'I was worried,' said Charsi. 'But I was sure you would come back.'

While the rogues praised and questioned their returned Sisters Kashya and Charsi managed to get to a quieter spot with Blood Raven at the monastery wall. While they were talking they saw the crowd slowly withdraw to the barracks, probably to hold some kind of feast or celebration.

Kashya did not ask Raven about details of the battles she fought. This was a time of celebration rather than sharing unpleasant stories. However she saw the mourning and the past horrors in Raven's eyes behind the joy of seeing her friends.

'Are you all right?' she asked. 'Aren't you hurt or something?'

Raven smiled. 'I will be all right, since I'm home at last.'

Then she looked behind them as she saw someone coming. Kashya and Charsi turned to see who it was.

It was Akara.

'Welcome home, Blood Raven,' she said. There was a faint smile on her face, but to Kashya she seemed cold.

* * *

><p>'It was cold down there,' said Sharyn, one of the rogues who had returned with Blood Raven. 'And darker with each step. But then we saw that there were torches lit all over the place.'<p>

'So demons need light to see too,' said Elexa surprised. She was sitting next to Sharyn with her friends Aliza and Diane, listening to the hero's story.

'It seems that way,' nodded Sharyn. She was a tall woman in her thirties with longish features. The brown of her eyes and hair were almost identical, her thin lips were rather pale. Her quiver was still on her back.

Elexa was a slim, blonde girl, one of the youngest rogues in the sisterhood. She was a typical beauty with slightly blushed white cheeks and long-lashed blue eyes. On her left side was Aliza, a pony-tailed brunette with big, almond-shaped hazel eyes. She was three years older than Elexa. Diane was the oldest of them, five years older than Aliza, and like a big sister for her. She had wise eyes and a solemn but pretty face.

'So we started looking for that Butcher demon the dying villager mentioned,' continued Sharyn. 'We formed some groups and spread out. I was with captain Raven, a barbarian warrior and a paladin.'

'A barbarian!' repeated Elexa. 'And a paladin! Rare sights to behold around here.'

'Indeed,' said Sharyn. 'The barbarian was even more excited to meet other kinds of people than us. They were pretty much lost here with his comrades. His people are not used to endless plains and swamps.'

'Even I'm not used to swamps sometimes,' smiled Elexa.

'You don't like muck on your boots?' asked Sharyn playfully.

'Well, that's one thing,' giggled the blonde girl. 'I hate scraping it off!'

All of them used the following short silence to drink from their wine cups. There was laughing and talking all around them. In front of them, on the other side of the table some rogues were eating bread and onions. Somewhere the sound of a falling cup could be heard with the spilling of its contents. The scent of roasting meat coming from the kitchen started to reach the dining room.

'Continue your story please,' asked Aliza gently.

'I'm sorry, I was just watering my throat,' said Sharyn. 'So as I was saying we started exploring with captain Raven and the paladin and the barbarian. It was quiet at first, but then we started hearing battle-noises in the direction of the other groups.'

'An ambush?' asked Elexa with rounding eyes.

'No, it wasn't planned,' said Sharyn. 'But there were many evil creatures down there. We found that out pretty soon too, when the paladin opened a door, and those monsters poured out. There were little creatures with scimitars and spears, speaking some evil language. They weren't that intimidating, and not strong either. Their strength was in their numbers. There were ten or fifteen of them. And behind them came some human skeletons.'

'Human skeletons?' gasped Elexa. Aliza's eyes were widened too.

'I have never seen anything like that before,' said Sharyn. 'And there weren't just skeletons, there were corpses too. Moving, rotten human corpses.'

'Necromancy,' said Diane quietly. 'Death magic.'

'That's what the paladin said too' nodded Sharyn, then she resumed her account: 'We defeated the monsters and went on. Nobody called for help – we had horns to call for help.'

'How do you bear a skeleton down?' asked Diane. 'Surely you can't shoot it in the head with an arrow and kill it. Or can you?'

'No,' Sharyn shook her head. 'You have to crush it into pieces. The barbarian did that with his hammer, and the paladin with his mace and his shield. Captain Raven and I focused on those little demons. Those were killable just like anything of this world.'

Diane nodded slowly showing she understood. Sharyn continued on.

'We cleared the first level in no time. It was surprisingly easy. We lost no one, and just a few were injured, and even they could carry on, nothing serious.'

Here her face went more serious.

'The troubles started when we descended to the second level. That place was swarming with these enemies. Hundreds of them. At first it was quiet, like the level before, but then they pounced on us from the dark.' She looked at Elexa. 'That time it was an ambush.'

The three listeners were grimly quiet. They waited patiently until Sharyn resumed.

'We've lost ten people or more. None of them were our rogues, we were in the back shooting with our bows. When it was over, there were so many corpses I almost tripped in them. Some paladins decided to remain behind so they can pray for the souls of the fallen. The rest of us carried on. It wasn't long till we found the Butcher.'

'So you weren't spread out in groups this time?' asked Aliza.

'We decided not to risk it after an ambush like that. We all remained together – a hundred and fifty people or something around that. Armored paladins and knights and barbarians and other warriors in the front, spellcasters and archers behind them. And we tried not to get attacked from the back or from our flank. So we explored slowly and cautiously – it was much more tiring than you would think.'

She sighed looking up to the ceiling, either because she was thinking or repressing her feelings.

'We found a closed room in the middle of a great chamber. The warrior who opened the door was careless. We heard the noises from the inside, but we weren't prepared for what happened.'

'The Butcher?' whispered Elexa.

'Yes. The Butcher. He… or _it_ is called that because of the weapon he used – a giant, bloody cleaver. He rushed out of the door when he saw us, and started hacking away. The ones in the front didn't have a chance.'

'May the Heavens bless their souls,' said Diane.

'How did he look like?' asked Elexa putting aside manners for curiosity.

'Tall, and fat, and red, with horns, covered in spilt blood,' explained Sharyn without delay. 'We shot him full of arrows and still he went on hacking. He killed thirty of us before the warrior Aidan killed him.'

'Is he the barbarian you spoke of?' asked Elexa.

'No,' Sharyn shook her head. 'He was slain by the Butcher. Aidan, he is the hero. The one who killed Diablo.'

Now all three listeners rounded their eyes in surprise.

* * *

><p>'Where did this Aidan come from?' asked Akara. She was walking in the inner cloister in front of the cathedral gate with Kashya, Charsi and Blood Raven.<p>

'No one knows,' said Raven spreading her hands. 'He was a silent warrior – he was definitely hiding something bad in his past. Or so I think.'

'I see,' said Akara.

'Well, after he leaves Tristram, he may come this way, to the East,' said Charsi.

'Maybe' shrugged Raven.

'I'm excited at the thought of meeting him,' Charsi smiled. 'I hope he comes this way.'

'You would be disappointed,' said Raven. 'He's not the talkative type. He wouldn't tell stories. Especially now, since he has Diablo's Soulstone inside of him.'

'It is a great sacrifice,' said Kashya. 'He has to battle Diablo's soul for the rest of his life, doesn't he?'

'Well, yes,' nodded Raven. 'But he has a strong will. He is a remarkable man.'

Kashya saw the sadness in Raven's eyes, but she didn't ask anything. However, Akara did.

'Did he change after these events?'

'Everybody changed,' said Raven quietly, staring in front of herself. 'It was a glorious but horrible experience.'

'I'm sure of that,' said Akara. 'But the Great Eye granted us a gift. Did you feel anything in Aidan with our gifted senses?'

Raven stopped for a moment, then went on, thinking, with a bit of confusion on her face.

'I don't know. I guess I could feel something. But down there everything was so evil it dampened my senses. Even those could feel evil who don't have talents like us. And as for the visible signs, everyone become quiet and mournful.'

'I see,' said Akara again slowly.

'I think you need some food and rest,' said Charsi. 'Let's rejoin the Sisters in the barracks.'

'All right,' said Raven.

They passed the magnificent fountain sculptured with three statues of bow-holding rogues. The sound of water mixed with the noises of the feast inside the barracks.

'The celebration has begun, I hear!' said Charsi excitedly.

She was right. Inside the mess hall some sisters were serving a roasted pheasant, and it was not the first, as bones were scattered in many plates and others were still eating. There were drinks too – barrels of wine and ale were next to the tables, sisters were waving and clinking their cups. Laughter and chatter and storytelling filled the ears of the new arrivals.

'He was huge, tall as two men, and bright red,' one of the returned rogues was saying to her listeners when Akara and the others passed next to her heading for a row of empty seats. 'He had many-many horns, on his back, on his terrible monstrous face, and on his long tail, and claws on his giant hands!'

She was talking about Diablo, the Lord of Terror. Kashya frowned while taking a seat with the others, Blood Raven next to her, Akara and Charsi in front of them.

'They have to talk it out of themselves,' said Akara guessing her thoughts. 'They are glad they survived, and they have to share the joy of that with their sisters.'

'But they are so eager!' said Kashya quietly, leaning forward. 'Not a hint of grief in them!'

'They were mourning their losses since they went down to the catacombs of Tristram Cathedral,' said Akara. 'As I said, they have to talk it out – otherwise they would go mad.'

Akara didn't look at Blood Raven when she said that, but Kashya did. Raven stared down to the table in front of her. Kashya was forming a question of concern in her head, but before she could say anything a group of rogues came to the table cheering.

'Akara!' shouted one of them.

'Captain Raven!' yelled another.

'Here, have a cup of wine!' they offered. Some of them had full cups in their hands, and now they put them down in front of the ones at the table. Soon others brought some food too, laughing all the way.

Akara was reluctant at first, but then even she grabbed a cup and drank with Kashya, Charsi, Raven, and the other sisters who sat next to them. The food was delicious, made by Visala the cook.

'What about you?' asked Raven suddenly, her eyes lighting up, finally showing her smile. 'What was life in the monastery while we were away?'

'It's been much quieter,' said Charsi. 'I was used to you shouting your orders, or… Or Brina and Ostella and Paetlyn, fighting among each other in their childish rivalry.'

Brina and Ostella and Paetlyn weren't here today. They were dead, fallen under Tristram, with many more sisters. Charsi cleared her throat and picked up her wine cup.

'The feel of terror was on the land,' said Kashya. 'It even seemed darker.'

'But life hasn't changed that much really,' said Charsi with regained enthusiasm. 'We were in no danger inside these walls.'

'Did you feel anything when Diablo was defeated?' asked Raven. Charsi shrugged, then nodded.

'I guess I felt something.'

Kashya nodded too. But Raven was looking at Akara. The High Priestess only realized this with some delay, she was deep in her thoughts. She looked into Raven's eyes, and nodded.

'Yes. I felt it.'

And she smiled. But again, to Kashya she seemed cold.

* * *

><p>Life went on in the Rogue Monastery, now with Blood Raven and the five who came back with her. They soon returned to their daily routine, their usual task. In days they ceased to be great heroes of Tristram and became Sisters of the Sightless Eye again.<p>

Blood Raven took her place as the military leader again, working alongside Akara, training the younger sisters. She took her old room again in the sleeping quarters next to Kashya's.

Soon everybody heard everything what could be heard about the events at the catacombs, and nobody was speaking of them anymore. What remained were just the pleasant memories of their lost friends. And with their minds their life too went back to order.

And that order lasted seven months.


	2. Chapter One: Dark Things in the Night

The rain had stopped, and the two hunters came out from under the trees, continuing onward. Aliza with a small roe on her shoulder, Elexa with a grayish-brown hare in each hand. Muddy puddles were splashing under their boots.

'About time,' said Aliza with her usual cheerful manner. 'It's getting dark in a few hours.'

'I wonder what the others hunted today,' said Elexa with the same carefree approach. There was no need to hurry, they just wanted to reach the monastery when there was still some light so they wouldn't have to use the torches they packed just in case.

'And I am wondering where that poor cat went,' said Aliza. A week ago she and some other Sisters had found a cat at the gates of the monastery and took him in – and now it was gone since yesterday.

'Probably just wandering about somewhere,' smiled Elexa. 'He'll turn up.' After a pause, she looked at Aliza. 'Did you tell Akara that he's a boy?'

'You say that as if boys were not allowed inside,' laughed Aliza. Elexa started giggling too.

'I don't know. All the dogs are female,' she said, lifting the rabbits a little bit. 'So are the cows.'

'That's enough,' laughed Aliza.

They walked in silence in a while, smiling to themselves. They did their best to avoid the bigger puddles, but nevertheless their boots were caked with mud. Dark green blades of grass stroked their moving feet. In the distance crows could be heard, and a barking dog even farther – there was a farm in that direction.

'Will you watch the tests tomorrow?' asked Elexa suddenly. Two months earlier three new rogues were initiated into the order – three childhood friends who left the village they lived in. At least one of them was fleeing from a father or older brother, though the Sisters didn't ask them. They weren't in the best of shapes, but Captains Raven and Kashya did the best they could to train them. The tests tomorrow will show if that was enough.

'Why wouldn't I?' shrugged Aliza.

'Well, you know what Akara said. It may distract the girls if everybody's watching.'

'Yes,' mused Aliza. 'Kashya said it too. Just not into our faces.'

'She doesn't want to seem too restrictive,' smiled Elexa. 'Have you noticed how nice she is nowadays?'

'She was always nice.'

'Yes, but she wasn't this nice. I'll tell you why.'

Aliza knew what Elexa wanted to say, but she asked her anyway, looking at her with widened eyes. 'Why?'

'She's happy. That's why!'

Aliza chuckled and turned her head back to the road ahead. Elexa continued: 'It's nice to see everyone happy, after those times. Akara smiled too the other day. When Gwinni and Floria almost dropped that barrel.'

'I remember,' laughed Aliza. 'Seriously though, Akara doesn't seem that happy to me.'

'You're right,' frowned Elexa. 'I don't know what's the matter with her.'

'Maybe she took it harder. You know.'

The fact that only six Sisters came back from Tristram. 'I know,' said Elexa. 'But harder than Raven? Or the others?'

'We should ask her sometime,' said Aliza suddenly. Elexa's brows went up. 'What? Oh, I don't know about that…'

'Maybe she just wants to talk to somebody.'

'The other priestesses don't talk to her?'

'I don't know. It was just a thought.'

'Hey, look, ahead!'

Aliza stopped with Elexa and followed her gaze. On the muddy road ahead of them stood a creature, trembling.

It stood on two legs with its broad, tall back to the two hunters. Its towering body was coated in thick brown fur now moist from the rain. Its hands could not be seen at the moment, but they knew that they were huge, even bigger than its hard, skull-like head.

It was a gargantuan beast. A wendigo.

They could hear its loud breathing now. And it was really trembling, like…

'Is he cold?' whispered Elexa.

'What is it doing here?' asked Aliza almost at the same time. These intimidating but gentle beasts rarely crossed paths with humans.

The wendigo must have heard them, since it suddenly stood upright and stopped shaking. Then it turned around to face the two rogues. Its small eyes could not be seen from this distance, but they were both sure it was staring at them.

'He's not running,' said Elexa quietly.

'He's probably curious,' replied Aliza.

Abruptly the beast let out a wheezing cry. They never heard this sound before. And with it, the wendigo started running at them on its short legs. It was…

'It's attacking!' shouted Aliza and dropped the roe behind her. There was no time for the bow – in a flash, she unsheathed a dagger from her belt.

Elexa dropped the hares too, but she went for the bow. She was a heartbeat too slow.

'No!' cried Aliza as the gargantuan reached her frightened friend and swept at her with one of its muscular hands. Elexa let out a small squeal, but she dodged, jumping back. The beast came at her again, almost hitting her the second time. It was foaming and growling.

Aliza threw the dagger, and the weapon reached the wendigo, but before that there was a sickening crack and Elexa went down on the ground, unmoving.

The beast cried out as the dagger lodged in its shoulder. It jerked around, trying to backhand Aliza, but she was a few steps too far for that. She raised another dagger. She was face to face with the monster.

She threw the knife. It tried to brush it away, but it flow right under its head. A gargling sound came from the wounded beast. Aliza screamed at it, but it didn't stop. It stepped closer, sweeping its frighteningly strong hand with unexpected speed. Aliza jumped back, another dagger in her hand. Turning around and running wasn't an option.

The monster stepped closer, trying an overhead cleave with both hands. Aliza stepped to the side and grabbed the dagger protruding from under the beast's bony head. It looked at her with white eyes, mouth foaming. She yanked on the dagger as the wendigo tried to grab her, and fell on the ground deliberately. A trail of dark red blood followed the freed blade. Aliza rolled as the dying monster tried to stomp on her, clawing at the ground.

The gargling beast managed to grab one of her legs with crushing force. Aliza cried out in pain. With two daggers in her hands she slashed at the huge hand in a shape of a cross. It was the monster's turn to cry out now, and it released her.

With a roll Aliza came up to her feet. She jumped back again as the wendigo desperately flailed its hands at her. The rogue stepped around it, trying to get closer to Elexa, seeing how she was.

The beast tried to step after her, but it was too weak and slow now. The blood gushing from its neckless torso painted its brown fur reddish black like some kind of war paint. It managed two more steps, then it went down on its knees, and then it toppled face down in the mud. Its hands grabbed handfuls of dirt and grass. It coughed and gagged, trying to breathe.

Aliza crouched before Elexa. The girl's head was bashed in, blood was trickling from the wound in her skull. 'No, no, no,' Aliza whined as she checked Elexa's pulse on her neck. She couldn't feel anything, but her own body was throbbing from fatigue, so she wasn't sure. She leaned over to feel Elexa's breathing.

A few feet away the beast finally stopped moving and died.

* * *

><p>Akara bit into the apple. She was alone in the church, looking over the rows of seats from the door of her sleeping hall. It wasn't suppertime yet, but she allowed herself this little treat once in a while.<p>

She had her hood down, letting her flawless white hair be seen. For her age her face wasn't that wrinkled and she even could be considered pretty. Only her eyes showed the elder's experience. Her hands, though, as she looked at one of them holding the yellow apple, well, it was an old woman's hand, no doubt about it. She didn't really care about her looks though. There was a time, but that was over decades ago.

The thousand candles of the church flickered in white and yellow, reflecting from the High Priestess' eyes. Standing there, Akara let herself smile a bit. A soft smile, like one of a mother musing over her children.

Then the door opened at the far end and the smile was gone. Akara stepped back, set the fruit down on her reading table and went to greet the visitors.

It was Blood Raven and the five rogues who returned from Tristram. They stopped at the seats waiting for Akara to reach them.

'Have you come to pray?' asked Akara before stopping in front of them. She knew the answer.

'Yes, Akara,' replied Raven with a bow of her head. She and her companions came to the church daily to pray for the souls lost at Tristram. They would do so for a year, as they told Akara once, maybe even more. The High Priestess approved and prayed with them.

All of them sat down on some benches. They didn't say a word. Raven folded her arms and turned her head down, one of her dark red tufts of hair pointing downwards with it. Her eyes were closed and she breathed evenly. Akara was sitting beside her with hands in her lap, looking up at the ceiling before her but beyond that. The other rogues were in complete silence too, unmoving. One of them swallowed and even that could be heard clearly.

They sat there for five minutes or more. Akara slowly bowed her head then, and another five minutes passed. After that, the priestess carefully stood and walked out as quietly as possible, leaving the warriors alone with the memories she did not witness.

Stepping out the large door of the church she was greeted with a dim sky, the Sun about to start going down. A light breeze was stroking the patches of grass in the cloisters.

Akara pulled her hood on and started walking along the columns of the monastery, lost in her thoughts. The cloisters were empty, everyone in the barracks probably, preparing for supper.

When she passed the fountain she saw two hunters returning with four small, brown rabbits. The girls greeted her, Akara smiled back, then they were gone, bringing the meat to the kitchen.

Akara sat down on a stone bench near the fountain, her thoughts getting heavier. She could hear the noises coming from the barracks mixing with the trickling of water. Laughter, chairs being pulled (she lost count long ago of how many times she had to tell the Sisters not to pull but lift those chairs so they don't scratch the floor…), talking, yelling for friends. Happy sounds.

'Akara?'

Akara looked up with a question in her eyes. It took a second to see that it was Charsi, standing next to the fountain, her head turned to one side, looking at her.

'Yes, Charsi' said Akara as a greeting.

'Is everything fine, Akara?' asked the blacksmith, stepping closer.

'Well, yes, child, why wouldn't it be?' smiled Akara.

'I don't see much joy in your eyes,' frowned Charsi. 'Something is eating you. I don't mean to pry, but… We're here for you as much as you are here for us. You know?'

Akara let out a smile, and this time it was completely honest. She sighed and looked in the blond woman's eyes.

'Thank you, Charsi. You were always a kind Sister.'

Charsi smiled too and sat down next to her. She leant forward so she could see Akara's face.

'So. What's wrong? Do you feel something?'

Akara looked at the ground before her feet. The smile was gone, her expression was almost wary.

'I don't know, to be honest,' she said. 'I… feel something. But I can't put my finger on it.'

'And it makes you nervous,' said Charsi. Akara nodded.

'Yes,' she replied. 'All we can do is be vigilant.'

'Do you think…' started Charsi, but she stopped. One rogue, a gate guard was hurrying to them with long steps.

'Kylie?' asked Charsi as she came closer.

'Akara!' the rogue stopped before them breathing heavily. 'Please, come to the gates, we need your help!'

'What is it?' asked Akara with rounded eyes, standing up. Charsi was already on her feet.

'There are villagers at the gates, wanting us to let them in. They need shelter. They say they've been driven out from their village.'

'And why didn't you let them in yet? We are open for ones in need.'

'Kashya is already at the gates,' said Kylie, slowing down, regaining her posture. 'She wanted your opinion.'

'But, why?' asked Charsi folding her hands.

'We don't have enough room for them,' the guard said. 'There's fifty-four of them. We counted them twice.'

Akara almost stepped back. She looked back towards the church, then back at the two waiting for her to react. She nodded.

'Let us go.'

* * *

><p>Kashya ran her hand through her red hair, looking at the villagers with a frown. The people were standing in front of the open gates in a rough file, waiting for the guards to let them in. Five rogues formed a line in front of them, bows on their backs and daggers on their belts. They weren't aiming to be intimidating though. Younger girls in the crowd looked at them with awe, and so did the boys but in a different way. Kashya almost sighed.<p>

Kylie came back, and Akara was following her, accompanied by Charsi. Kashya lifted her head and stepped closer to them to meet them, showing her back to the people outside.

'I'm here, Kashya,' said Akara. 'I heard.'

'Yes,' said Kashya, looking back at the crowd for a second. 'Refugees, or at least they say they are. Fifty-four people. Thirty women, six children, eighteen men.'

Akara leaned to the side a little to see them, but Kashya stepped aside too. The High Priestess picked out the children with her eyes, four boys and three girls, all younger than ten years old, all with their mothers and fathers. These people were farmers, most of them dirty, tired, desperate.

'What happened to them?' asked Charsi quietly with a frown that could contain fear.

Before Kashya could reply, Akara said 'Let us ask them,' and stepped forward, standing between two of the guarding rogues.

'I am Akara, High Priestess of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye.'

The people slowly stopped talking among themselves and listened to her. Soon all gazes were fixed on the purple cloaked woman.

'Do you have a leader or a representative?'

A man in a brown leather vest stepped forward. He was in his forties, had bushy salt-and-pepper hair and a face not unlike a dog's.

'I'm Harrol. Son of the chief of our village.'

'Greetings,' said Akara. Kashya folded her hands, Charsi glanced at her with a questioning gaze. She looked away.

'What happened to you?' asked Akara.

'Creatures, High Priestess!' the man said. Many of his people started nodding and whispering among each other. 'Our village is not safe. Many people disappeared at nights.' He looked at his folk. 'These people were afraid. We tried going to other villages that had walls. No one let us in!'

'Slow down, Harrol,' said Akara, lifting a hand. 'What kind of creatures are you talking about?'

'Monsters!' replied the man and several of the villagers repeated the word.

Akara didn't look back at Kashya and Charsi, but they did look at each other. Kashya's emotions were shrouded behind a hard face. Charsi's eyes were wide. She shuffled closer to Kashya, their elbows touched. 'Monsters?'

Kashya didn't reply. Akara continued:

'What kind of… monsters?'

'Hellish creatures, High Priestess!' the man said, but he didn't describe anything. Akara knitted her brows for a second but nobody really recognized it.

'Did you see these monsters?' she asked.

'Well, it was dark, they only come at night,' Harrol said, scratching the back of his head. 'But some of us saw them. Shadows of them. Right, Reela?'

A middle-aged brunette woman with large eyes suddenly became aware that she was addressed and lifted her head.

'Uh… yes, yes! I saw them run down the road. They made a noise, like… I don't know. I never heard anything like it before.'

Now Kashya sighed. The villagers started talking all at once, each of them describing their own sightings of monsters. Their leader looked at Akara with an honest, pleading face.

'Please. These people have nowhere else to go.'

Akara was buried in her thoughts for a moment. But not for very long.

'Very well,' she said finally, and the cacophony was gone again. 'You may stay inside our monastery until these things get sorted out.'

The people burst out in thanks and praises. Kashya stepped behind Akara.

'There is no room for these villagers, Akara. Where will they stay?'

'We will let them sleep in one of our sleeping halls,' replied the priestess turning to Kashya. 'I'm sorry, but you will have to sleep a little closer to each other.

This wasn't a problem. But Kashya still wasn't convinced.

'What if others come? They can't drive us out of our monastery!'

'First of all, Kasyha, we will cross that bridge when we get there,' said Akara with a hint of rigor in her voice. 'And they won't drive us out, these are scared people. If any more come, they will be welcome to set camp in the cloisters. Now, I must talk with master Harrol. Do not worry, child.'

With that she turned around and started talking to the man. Kashya stood there with visible anger on her face now.

'What's the matter?' asked Charsi. Kashya didn't reply, so she stepped in front of her and looked into her eyes. 'Kashya?'

Kashya looked at her as if she disturbed her at the worst time.

'Monsters!' she said. 'These people are afraid of stray dogs and wolves and bandits.'

'But…' started Charsi.

'Leaving their village was the stupidest thing they could do. The roads are far more dangerous. They should have stayed home and locked the doors if they were so very afraid at night.'

'But,' Charsi finally interjected, 'they are afraid. It doesn't matter what are they afraid of, or if it's real or not. They came here for help.'

'I know, I know,' said Kashya with an angry whisk of her hand. 'But coming here? From who knows how far? They should have sent a few people to inform us, and we would have looked into it. That's all.'

'You're so upset,' said Charsi, worried. 'I think you should get some rest.'

'Are you mocking me?'

'Not at all. I'm worried about you. You know. As a friend?'

Kashya sighed, looked at Charsi, and her expression softened.

'I understand,' she said. 'I'm sorry. It's just…'

She didn't finish her thought. Charsi nodded with a warm smile and almost hugged Kashya but she decided against it. Instead, she said: 'Come on. We should ask Akara if any help is needed.'

'It is definitely needed,' said Kashya and followed the blacksmith.

Akara needed the help indeed. She instructed the two of them to inform the Sisters at the barracks to prepare one of the sleeping halls. They ran off.

* * *

><p>Akara told the villagers to wait, then asked them to make a line and talk to her one at a time. She tried to get some information out of them. Nobody saw anything that could be described.<p>

Then came the fifth villager, a skinny young woman with bony shoulders. She looked at the man who talked to Akara before her – probably her brother, Akara thought – then stepped before the High Priestess.

'What is your name, child?' asked Akara with honest warmth.

'Ferna,' the woman replied, her light brown eyes darting from left to right.

'Come, sit down, Ferna,' Akara motioned to a bench nearby with a small tree behind it. The woman nodded and followed her. After they sat, Akara looked in her eyes, feeling the distress coming from within Ferna.

'What did you see?' she asked, and when the woman didn't reply, she added: 'We need to know what we are up against, so we can send our rogues accordingly.'

'The others didn't believe me until it was too late. Helga… one of the villagers… our neighbor… she vanished a week ago, when she went out to the well for… and her son was with her, and he is gone too… They, they took them!'

'Did you see who took them?'

'I… I didn't see when they took them. But, I did see something. A day before that.'

She stopped and glanced at her brother who was with the group of people who already spoke to Akara, standing around the monastery wall, debating something. Some of the men from the line joined them too. Harrol was trying to comfort a family of three who were on the verge of crying.

'Go on, please,' asked Akara softly. Ferna jerked her head back and nodded.

'I saw shadows. Si… silowettes. Or what they are called.'

'Silhouettes,' nodded Akara.

'Yes. So, I was too far away, and it was too dark… to see them. But, I saw their shadows.'

Akara waited patiently.

'There were four of them,' said Ferna finally. 'Little. Like, like this.'

She showed a height with her left hand, about as tall as a larger dog.

'But, they were like… like children. Small, but…'

'Standing on two legs, hands, head on top?' asked Akara. The woman nodded fiercely.

'Yes! Yes! They were like that. Like gnomes. Or something like that. But.'

Akara lifted her eyebrows.

'They were… talking. But, not as we do. Some other… language. Their voice, I couldn't hear clearly, but, it was strange. I… I can't tell you, but it was strange. I was scared, and…'

'Do not worry. You are safe here,' said Akara, but her head was almost spinning. She repressed a sigh and smiled at the woman instead. 'Thank you for telling me what you saw. You can rejoin your folks now.'

Ferna left for her brother. Akara stood up and looked around. Some of the villagers looked at her. She walked over to Harrol, still with the family. He turned around to face her with inquiring eyes.

'I have to speak to my Sisters for a moment,' said Akara. 'I'd like you to wait here until someone comes back to lead you to the sleeping hall.'

'When will that be?' asked Harrol politely. 'These… We are tired. It was a long way.'

'I ask you to have patience. It won't be long before you can eat something and lie down.'

'Thank you. Thank you.'

Akara started back to the church to find Blood Raven. She caught herself having a frown on her face and forced it away.

* * *

><p>The rogues were packing their things and bringing them to the other halls. All of them were talking it out among themselves: who will sleep next to whom, where will they keep their belongings, who the villagers are, the fact that many of them are men… Kashya, standing at one of the doors shook her head ever so slightly. No matter how much training and exercise, these girls remained girls at their hearts.<p>

Well, Kashya had that side too, of course. You did not have to be young to preserve your womanhood.

She wanted to smile to herself, but the situation was troubling. The way Akara handled this suggested that she may suspect something. Kashya couldn't be sure though. Such were the ways of Akara.

Chatting and debating rogues with bags in their hands walked past her as she was standing with crossed arms. Some of them greeted her and she always nodded back. She scanned the room for faces, thinking about the hunters.

All of them reported back. Except Aliza and Elexa.

As if on cue Diane appeared next to her.

'Kashya?'

Kashya was startled.

'Yes?'

'Have you seen Aliza and Elexa?' the solemn-faced rogue asked, still trying to find her friends with her gaze.

'No,' said Kashya with knitted brows. 'They haven't returned yet.'

'Are there any more of us out yet?'

'No. Kundri and Viella came back half an hour ago. They reported back.'

Diane tried to mask the worry but she couldn't control her eyes. Kashya pressed her lips together.

'It's not unheard of for some Sisters to arrive after dark,' said Diane, probably just to reassure herself. 'But after this trouble with the villagers… I don't know.'

'I'm sure they are fine,' said Kashya. 'These villagers, I don't think they know what they saw.'

'You mean they're afraid of nothing, and came here for no reason?' asked Diane with a tilted head, her hands on her hips.

'No,' said Kashya pulling the word. 'I mean the danger they think is upon them might not be all that dangerous. Definitely not so dangerous that they had to leave their village. I say it's panic. Akara thinks otherwise. Well, she may agree with me, but she said we need to help these people no matter what.'

'We can't send them back now,' shrugged Diane. 'I assume you'll send out scouts?'

'Yes. Akara is trying to get some facts about what we are dealing with, and tomorrow we'll look into it.'

Diane looked around.

'Can I…'

'You don't have to ask,' interjected Kashya and she let out the first smile in the past half hour. Diane smiled back.

In a quarter of an hour the sleeping hall was empty. Kashya went back to the monastery gate, Diane followed her. The smells of the upcoming supper were starting to get out to the cloisters. The Sun was going down, the sky was turning gray with a touch of orange still remaining.

At the gates they looked for Akara but she wasn't there. The restless villagers started asking questions. The guards looked at Kashya like they didn't know what to do.

'Everyone, calm down,' said Kashya, trying not to sound annoyed. Then she turned to Diane. 'Would you look for Akara? I thought she was here.'

'Of course,' Diane nodded. She went off with determined strides. One of the best rogues, might be made captain soon.

Kashya moved away from the villagers trying to ask her questions. She looked back, waiting. Where was Akara? Why did she leave the people here?

'Excuse us,' a woman held out a hand to have her attention.

'Please,' turned Kashya. 'Akara will come back soon.'

She moved farther inside, arms crossed, annoyed frown on her face. The villagers were talking among themselves wearily, comforting each other, mothers squatting in front of their children, husbands holding their wives, men trying to seem in control with grim faces. Kashya did not look at them.

After a minute she did look though. There was something unusual in the sound of the crowd. Or was it something else…?

She held her head high, trying to hear what her intuition told her she heard. There was too much noise!

'Hey! Be quiet!' she addressed the people. Some of them looked at her and stopped talking, but not all.

'Silence! Quiet!' Kashya flailed with her arms. But she could already hear the thing she wanted to. It came closer.

Screams.

'Help us! Please, help us! Akara! Help!'

Kashya stepped toward the gate, eyes open wide, startled. The villagers looked at her eagerly. Some stepped forward to talk to her. Some heard the screaming though.

'Shut up!' shouted Kashya at the closest villagers. They stopped short in fright.

'Help us!' came the wailing from the gate. Kashya stepped into the crowd, pushing the startled men and women away. The guard rogues were already rounding their eyes and mouths, and a moment later she saw why when she met Aliza.

She was carrying the unconscious body of Elexa on her back. The girl had a bloody wound on her head, her blond hair stuck together with clotting blood. Aliza herself was in panic, face and eyes red with tears, sobbing, screaming for help. She wasn't even surprised because of the villagers.

'Please! Somebody!'

Kashya's hand went to her face in horror.

'Aliza!'

She ran to meet the girl. Aliza looked at her, pleading and fear in her eyes.

'Kashya!'

'Put her down!' Kashya said. She sounded like she was ordering it, but this hardly mattered now. She helped Aliza get Elexa off her back. They laid her gently down on the cold stone. The guards were afraid to step closer and Kashya was grateful for that. The villagers on the other hand gasped, and some of them moved closer. Some farther. Frightened faces, words of worry. Kashya wanted to push them back.

'No, no, no!' Aliza cried now, tears running down her face. Kashya knelt over the unconscious girl, checking her breathing. She was alive, but barely.

'What happened?' she asked.

'Oh, no. Oh, no! Please, please,' whined Aliza. She was in shock.

Kashya reached down and lifted Elexa's head by the back of her neck. She was dying, she needed a bed to recover! But moving her again could be too much for her. Has she made a mistake by putting her down? Oh, my…

'What is going on?' asked Akara, pushing past the startled villagers with Blood Raven and Diane. Finally! Kashya looked up at them, into Akara's troubled eyes.

'Akara! She's barely breathing!'

'Elexa!' gasped Akara. 'Let me see!'

She knelt before the girl too, facing Kashya. She took Elexa's head from the captain. Aliza stood there, still crying. Diane embraced her, her face not showing any emotion over her Sister's trembling shoulder.

'What happened?' asked Blood Raven stepping next to Kashya and kneeling. The villagers came closer to see, ignoring the guards who didn't hold them back anyway.

'Step back!' Kashya yelled at them. They stopped. 'Step back, or I'll…!'

The villagers stepped back now. Akara had her palm on Elexa's forehead. A faint glow was coming from her hand.

'What happened?' asked Raven again, her eyes darting between Kashya and Aliza. Kashya looked back and shrugged, her face saying '_I don't know'. _But finally Aliza could manage a few words holding on tight to Diane.

'A wendigo… It attacked us! It hit Elexa. I… I killed it, but she…'

Even Akara looked up for a second.

'A wendigo? A gargantuan?' asked Raven. She did not ask 'Are you sure?' but it was in her voice. Aliza did not reply, she started crying again, burying her face in her friend's shoulder. Diane tried to comfort her, whispered words to her that nobody else heard.

'A wendigo' said Raven. 'Akara, that…'

Wendigos were gentle creatures. They never attacked people. In fact, they mostly stayed away from them, and they were a rare sight. Blood Raven was looking at Akara, her mouth a thin line, her eyes… frightened?

The Sun just went down. Their faces were basked in the white light of a full moon. Elexa was pale, her eyes closed, her face peaceful aside from the trickles of blood. Outside, on the horizon a sinister white mist could be seen.

'I am sorry,' said Akara breaking the silence, her voice barely more than a whisper. 'She is gone.'


	3. Chapter Two: Scouts

Aliza and Diane stood in front of the fresh grave, close to each other. They listened to the trickling rain and their own thoughts. Three more Sisters were around. Two middle-aged rogues named Blaise and Olena stood under the cemetery tree with crossed arms, looking almost entirely alike – both had shoulder-length dark blonde hair and blue eyes, although Olena's was darker. They were a duo from childhood much like Aliza and Diane… and Elexa.

The captain in the group was Flavie, a stern-faced, pale woman in her thirties. She was standing at the iron fence looking out at the gloomy plains with a frown on her face, her wet auburn hair flat on her head.

Aliza moved closer to Diane and hugged her arm. Her face twisted and tears started running down her already flushed cheeks.

'It's all right, dear,' Diane whispered in her ear. 'You don't have to hide it.'

_Then why aren't you crying like me?,_ thought Aliza.

Blaise and Olena looked up from their quiet conversation, sympathetic expressions on their faces. Blaise sighed audibly, then looked around to see if anyone had heard it. Everyone had, but no one misunderstood.

Flavie turned back from the fence now, running her hand through her wet hair and wiping it on her leather vest which was equally wet. She stepped closer to the others. For a moment she debated if she should speak, concern showing on her face. But then she looked back at the Sun barely visible through the thick clouds.

'We should move on soon. If we want to reach the farm and get back too.'

Aliza, still crying nodded in agreement against Diane's shoulder. Diane met the captain's eye and bowed her head once with closed eyes. The other two rogues gathered themselves and walked to stand beside Flavie.

A rare whiff of wind sneaked through the gravestones, scattering the raindrops for a moment. The open gate creaked once, and then there was silence again. All of the Sisters had a bad feeling, but none of them stated it. Aliza finally managed to stop crying and raised her head. She sighed.

'I'm ready,' she said quietly. Diane looked at Flavie.

'We can go now,' she said just in case the captain didn't hear Aliza. She did, but only now did she nod. She and the other two starting walking towards the gate. Diane waited for Aliza as she looked back once more to Elexa's grave.

'See you soon,' the teary-eyed young rogue whispered into the rain. Then she passed Diane who followed her from behind, both taking a few longer steps to catch up to the others. When all of them were out, Blaise closed the loud gate with a frown on her face.

* * *

><p>Kashya knelt beside the creature. It was the size of a large cat with long spikes covering its back. There was an arrow protruding from its snub-nosed, bat-like head. She plucked it out of the small skull, wiped off the blood in the wet grass and put it back in her quiver.<p>

A few steps ahead of her two rogues were doing the same with a dozen of these spike fiends. A little farther to the left a group of six Sisters were chopping up a fleshy nest of blood hawks with their long daggrs, the saggy parts sometimes bursting open with disgusting noises. 'Good Heavens,' moaned one of them. The inhabitants of the nest – winged beasts more like bats than hawks – lay scattered around with their little mouths open showing sharp teeth, each unmoving, some of them with still not reclaimed arrows sticking out of them.

Kashya stood up and walked to a rogue named Meghan sitting on a rock. She was looking at her own right bicep which had a deep, bloody cut on it.

'Are you all right?' asked Kashya. The young woman glanced at her with her dark brown eyes, then poked the cut with her index finger.

'Just a flesh wound, it seems,' she said. 'It doesn't hurt that bad.'

Next to the rock two sharp quills were dropped on the ground. They came from the back of a spike fiend. One grazed Meghan's hand, the other one got stuck in her leather breastplate, almost going through. The hole was visible in the brown armor.

'Bandage it, just in case,' Kashya said, touching Meghan's other shoulder. She turned to see another rogue, a short-haired blonde named Raissa wincing with her hands in the air as another Sister was bandaging her over her pelvis. One of the blood hawks crashed into her and bit her at her side and as she grabbed and pulled the animal away it made a nasty wound.

'Are you all right?' called over Meghan with her own roll of bandages in her hands.

'She lost a lot of blood,' answered the girl aiding Raissa. She had curly black hair and skin a shade darker than the others. 'But she drank a potion, she should be fine.'

'Good to know,' said Raissa with a painful grin. 'Bastard bit a chunk out of me!'

Not all of the rogues had full armor. They wore what was comfortable to them, but now Kashya was worried she didn't order them all to fully gear up.

There were twelve of them, more than a scouting group. As Akara talked the rumors over with Blood Raven she decided to send a larger party to go to the village where all those people came from. She wanted to send Harrol, the leader of the villagers with them, but Kashya managed to talk her out of it. And what a good call that was. It would be a disaster trying to protect that weak man…

The mission was going to the village and looking into the situation. If animals were this wild, attacking even such a group of armed rogues, they might have to organize something with the local guards. Kashya hoped the soldiers there weren't the kind to get in the way.

As the party got their bearings together they set off again. All had their weapons ready. Three rogues in the front with spears, the rest of them with bows and arrows. Kashya was scanning the land as they went through the wilderness, puddles left half an hour ago by the rain splashing under some careless boots. Not much could be seen through the white fog, but nothing seemed to stir in the scattered patches of shrubbery.

Soon they reached a dirt road with muddy wheel-tracks.

'This must be going to the village,' one rogue stated the obvious. Everyone quickened their pace. They were walking since morning and it was well past midday now. Everyone was looking forward to sitting down, even among distressed villagers.

But when they reached the village, their hope faded.

It was all deserted, not a soul in sight, not a sound made. Kashya lifted her right hand, signaling the group to stop. They listened and scanned the houses they could see. Thatched roofs and wooden fences stood quietly in the gloom. Not even animals could be heard.

'It's deserted,' whispered Meghan.

'Be careful,' said Kashya after a pause. 'Let's go to the center.'

Walking slowly and cautiously now they went between the first two houses, passed along two more hovels and set their eyes on the village square. There were abandoned carts and boxes at the open ground, a small market.

At first they didn't see any threats, but then something stirred behind one of the carriages. A wendigo was rummaging through some boxes of soaked, rotten fruit and vegetables. As it saw the newcomers it stood upright, knocking a basket of apples over. The fruit rolled in the puddles and mud as it charged, wailing at them in its frighteningly loud voice. Five rogues fired, including Kashya. The creature stopped in its tracks as the arrows pelted its torso, then fell back on its back, its huge hands grasping the air. The Sisters watched if it's going to stand, but it only knocked over an empty crate and coughed up two splashes of blood. It died in a minute, and nothing else attacked them while they stood there vigilant.

Kashya moved first, stepping up on a market stand and from there climbing on a cart loaded with boxes, only half of them loaded out. From there she could see the whole square. There was nothing else hiding in the market. There was an inn, a blacksmith's shop and a tailor's facing it. The rest of the buildings were all houses – not more than thirty of them – except the short stone guard tower at the far side of the village visible over the roofs.

'There might be villagers locked in their homes hiding from that beast,' said a rogue named Amplisa. She was the oldest Sister in the group, a touch of grey in her shoulder-length light brown hair. The only reason why she wasn't a captain is because she specifically asked not to be one.

'Yes,' said Kashya. 'That is why we're searching every building. Spread out in threes, search everything. Amplisa, you check the inn. Klaudia, you go through the shops, see if anyone's hiding there. Iantha, you go over there and search the houses. We are going towards the guard tower. We'll all meet back here when we're finished. And watch out for beasts.'

They quickly formed four groups, each consisting of one melee fighter and two archers. Kashya put her bow away on her back and drew a sword – a rare weapon for a Sister – and jumped from her vantage point to the ground to lead Meghan and another young girl named Tylena.

'Let's go,' she said, going towards the first house between them and the guard tower.

The first three houses they searched were empty. There were a few clothes in the rooms, and food in the pantries. After carefully going through the few rooms Meghan shook her head.

'Where did all the people go?'

'Looks like they left in a hurry,' said Kashya. 'They wouldn't have left all this behind.'

Tylena didn't say anything, just swallowed and looked around anxiously, searching the unmoving shadows.

The door of the next house stood open to a crack. Kashya stepped inside, quickly turning around, but the room was empty. The floor creaked under her steps as she passed a small archway to the only other room – a bedroom. When she saw the leg behind the bed, she stopped, and so did the other two.

'Hello?' said Kashya lowering her sword. But the owner of the legs did not move.

She stepped closer to see behind the bed. The man was lying on the floor on his face, a pool of blood mixed with straw from the bed under him.

'He's dead,' whispered Tylena. Kashya remained silent. She leaned over the body and turned the man on his back. It was a middle-aged man, his eyes closed, two wounds on his stomach and three around the heart area, one dead center.

'Stabbed to death,' she said examining the body further, tearing the shirt away at the torso. The body was pale and blue veins visible around the wounds, the blood more black than red. Kashya frowned in disgust at the smell. 'He must have been killed more than two days ago.'

'By who?' asked Meghan, half to herself.

'I would guess a dagger,' Kashya said. 'Good question.'

'He's the only body here,' Tylena added, getting a hold on herself.

'There's something very bad going on in this village,' said Meghan.

Kashya rose. She hadn't found any more clues to the death of this man.

'Let's go to the guard tower,' she said, reaching a decision. 'We can come back to the houses if we don't find anyone there.'

'All right,' Meghan nodded.

The two followed Kashya outside and through the dark street going to the tower. The houses seemed eerier now, casting their shadows in the foggy afternoon light. The unnatural silence made Kashya nervous. Tylena seemed sick – she probably haven't seen a dead person before.

When they reached the tower Kashya stood beside the door and called out:

'Is there anyone in there? This is the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye!'

They all listened, but no answer came from inside.

'Abandoned, like the rest,' Meghan said quietly.

'Don't let your guard down though,' Kashya said looking at her. 'I don't say this easily, but we don't know what we're up against.'

She half expected the door to be locked, but it wasn't. The heavy metal creaked on its hinges as the three rogues stepped inside. The interior was dark and damp, and a strange smell hung in the air. They expected the worst, and they found it: in the farthest room there was a guard in chain mail who had hung himself. Tylena stumbled outside to vomit, and Kashya asked Meghan with a glance to follow her. Alone, she examined the body. There were no wounds on this one though, no marks to show anything but suicide. She debated if she should cut the man down, and decided she would wait for some of the stronger Sisters to help her.

She went out to the outer room to meet Tylena who had returned with Meghan at her side comforting her with a hand on her shoulder.

'I'm sorry,' the girl started, but Kashya cut her off with a raised palm.

'Don't worry about it,' she said. Then she looked at the ladder which led to the lookout post. 'I'm going up there.'

'Shall we follow?' Meghan asked.

'No need. I'll be back soon.'

She climbed the ladder alone, opened the hatch outside, and stood above the village in the fresh air. She could see the houses, all as if grown from the fog. Everything was still except a group of three Sisters entering a larger home. The Sun was well behind Kashya and the Moon could be seen too hiding behind the thick veil of clouds. It was getting chilly.

Climbing down she led the others out and started going through the houses. They didn't find anyone else, dead or alive. Every house was in a similar state, food left in the pantries, some clothes lying around, children's toys, tools, all kinds of valuable equipment. The whole village was abandoned, seemingly in a hurry.

After an hour the scouts all met back at the small market. Everyone brought similar news of deserted homes. Two more bodies were found – a man and a woman, probably husband and wife sitting on the floor of the blacksmith's shop with backs to a wall, wrists slit. Suicide.

'I don't like this,' one of the Sisters groaned.

'The inn is empty,' Amplisa said. 'Do you think we should stay here for the night? We won't make it back home by nightfall.'

'Well, what do you think?' Kashya looked around, asking the question from everyone. She saw what they were thinking. Most of them cast worried glances out to the gloom and stood closer to each other than usual. 'All right. We'll stay at the inn for the night and go back home tomorrow. Now, let's talk about guard shifts.'

* * *

><p>Five new refugees came in the evening, brought home with Blood Raven and her scouting party. They stood around in the inner cloister waiting for the Sisters to show them where they will be sleeping. A white-bearded man in his sixties fondling a pipe in his hand, a woman in a dirty apron, a balding man holding a little blond girl's hand, and another man, middle-aged, with deep sorrow in his eyes. Akara looked at them and rubbed one of her temples with her fingers.<p>

'Akara,' said Raven gently, touching her arm.

'Yes,' she replied with a nod and turned towards the redheaded rogue. Raven seemed tired. 'Continue. Have you found out anything else?'

'Nothing else. Just the abandoned farms and these people.'

'What they are saying is…' Akara started, then sighed. 'It's similar to what the others told us.'

'I know,' said Raven, almost whispering, her head lowered. One of the refugees, the man with the girl, looked at her, and she turned away slightly so he couldn't see her lips moving. 'I think we should start thinking about defense.'

'I…' started Akara, but she stopped again. She was at a loss at the moment. She looked at Raven who raised her head and looked at her with a worried frown. Before the captain could ask anything she recomposed herself and nodded. She had to be strong. 'I cannot say anything certain until all the scouting parties get back. But we should think about it, yes.'

'If it's some form of demonic magic again…' Raven murmured so the people definitely couldn't hear. 'It could be that something remained from Tristram.'

'Let us hope it's nothing of the sort,' said Akara, trying to calm Raven.

'Maybe we should hope that it's nothing worse,' she replied and folded her arms. 'Nothing certain, yes, but if these people really saw Fallen…'

She let the thought hang in the air. Akara bit her lip, then closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, her face was as calm and soothing as ever.

'We should show these people their beds,' she said. 'We can talk after.'

'Maybe I should go back to Tristram,' Raven continued, ignoring the High Priestess' words. 'See if I can find Aidan.'

'Please, Raven,' Akara said with her motherly voice. 'This is not the time for this discussion.'

She pointed towards the refugees with her eyes. Raven reluctantly started nodding.

'Of course, Akara. I understand.'

'Come,' smiled Akara. To her delight, Raven smiled back, even if it was a very small smile.

* * *

><p>'There,' Diane said, pointing ahead. The others could see it too: the farmhouse could be seen through the thick veil of fog. They quickened their pace. The evening air was chilly and damp and they couldn't wait to stop for some minutes. They knew the family who lived here, and they would surely welcome them for some tea or soup.<p>

When they got closer they could see two cows lying in the mud in their pen, looking at the newcomers with dreamy gazes. The ever present song of crickets enveloped everything. One of the house's windows was open and the flickering light of a candle escaped into the yard to be swallowed quickly by the darkness and shadows.

'Finally,' Aliza sighed.

'Remember, we shouldn't make them nervous, just ask around if anything unusual happened,' said Flavie, and everyone understood. Then se added: 'Are you all right, Aliza?'

'Yes,' said Aliza. Diane looked at her with a gentle smile.

'Let's go then,' said Flavie and stepped in front of the door. She knocked, and they waited for an answer. When no one came, she knocked again. 'Master Vama, this is Flavie. May we come in for a minute?'

No answer came. Flavie leaned closer, but she couldn't hear anything. Total silence from inside. The room where the candle burned was empty, and no one came from the other rooms to open the door.

'Asleep already?' said the surprised Blaise. Flavie turned back with her eyebrows high up.

'Should I try again?' she asked, confused and embarrassed. Aliza almost smiled at the blush that appeared on her usually stern face.

'Try one more time,' Olena suggested. Flavie did, but the third knock wasn't met by an answer either. The Sisters just stood around outside the house for a moment.

'Maybe they went out somewhere,' Olena shrugged. 'There's a candle lit. They'll be back soon.'

'Is it locked?' Diane asked. Flavie shrugged and tried the door. It opened without resistance.

They peered into the room. There was a table with the candle, four chairs, a cupboard, a fireplace…

'There's Master Vama's coat,' Blaise pointed to one of the chairs. The old brown coat was hanging on the back of it.

'Master Vama?' called out Flavie stepping inside. 'Mistress Dilla?'

When no answer came still, she stepped back and closed the door before any one of them could protest.

'We shouldn't intrude,' she said. 'We should wait for them to come back.'

They waited for half an hour, sitting on the wooden fence in front of the two cows. Nothing seemed to move. They talked about the refugees back at the Monastery, told each other some stories, but they were all tired and the silences were getting longer. The light of the Moon pierced the clouds for some long moments, providing some visibility at times. Other times it was just dark. After a while Diane and Blaise lit their torches.

They waited in the torchlight for another half hour. There was no sign of the family. Moths started gathering around them. Blaise and Olena went around the farm once, just to do something. Aliza was resting her head on Diane's shoulder. Flavie looked like she was very cold, hugging herself.

Finally, Aliza broke the silence.

'I… We should probably head back home.'

Everyone looked at Flavie. She looked back at the house, then in front of herself. After a few long seconds of contemplating, she inhaled and exhaled deeply.

'All right. We've waited enough. Let's go back home.'

'What about them?' Olena asked pointing at the house with her head.

Flavie shrugged and sighed.

'I don't know. We can't set a camp in front of the house though.'

'Let's go home,' Aliza asked, and it wasn't far from pleading. She wasn't feeling well. As they started back the way they came, she glanced at the night around them, and it was as if something was always watching them just out of their eyes' reach, just behind the dark.

They stayed together, and Flavie touched her bow often.


	4. Chapter Three: The Wanderer's Passing

Not yet dried puddles trembled in the wind on the stone of the Monastery, starlight glimmering in them and on the metal bits on the guards' armor. Four of them were posted at the gate, waiting for the last scouts to come home from their missions, trying to peer into the darkness behind the light of the torches.

There was silence for hours. Only the sound of the wind rattling leaves and whispering through the grass. Sometimes a rogue sniffed, or absent-mindedly scratched her elbow.

It was very late. But finally, there was a flickering light coming towards them from the mist. They all braced themselves, but from the noise they knew it was a patrol. Thank the Heavens.

Flavie appeared first, then the rest of her group. Olena, Blaise, Aliza and Diane.

'Oh, it's so good to see you,' Blaise sighed as they stopped on the dirt patch before the stone steps of the gate. Their exhausted eyes flickered in the torchlight.

'Flavie,' said one of the guards, a short-haired girl, barely twenty years old. The captain looked at her and waited for what she wanted to say. But she didn't continue.

'Yes?' Flavie nudged her on.

The rogue nodded and swallowed, embarrassed.

'Akara said that I should tell anyone who comes back to go and see her.'

'Even in the middle of the night,' another guard added. Flavie nodded.

'All right. We'll go see her,' she said, then ran her gaze over at each of the guards. 'Are we the last party?'

'Kashya's group is still out,' answered the nervous rogue biting her lip.

'Kashya's group?' asked Olena. 'They went to the village, right?'

'Yes,' Diane said. 'Amplisa is with her too.'

'And Klaudia,' said Blaise. Aliza was nodding absent-mindedly. She seemed the most tired of them all.

'It's a big party,' said Flavie, turning her head back to the others. 'They might not come home till tomorrow. Maybe Kashya decided they should stay with the villagers for the night.'

'Who knows what happened in the village,' said Blaise quietly. The nervous guard bit her lip.

'Don't worry,' Flavie said to her. 'They'll come back soon. Just keep watching.'

She made a reassuring smile, and that seemed to calm the girl a bit. As they opened the gate and the scouting group entered the monastery though, the captain's smile faded from her face.

* * *

><p>Akara was standing alone in the cathedral, in front of the altar, looking at the candlelight. She couldn't get herself to sleep, so she got up an hour ago, and she was here, waiting. She figured this was another sign, a gift of the Sightless Eye. Trusting it, she waited.<p>

So when Flavie opened the heavy door, she wasn't surprised. She turned and to meet the group of scouts and walked toward them, pulling the purple hood from her white hair. They met among the seats. She was tired, but it was nothing to their exhaustion.

'You returned,' the High Priestess said, her eyes forming the question. _What happened?_

Flavie nodded. She stood in front of Akara with her hands behind her back. The others were looking around or down at their feet. Akara sat down on a bench, showing them they could sit too. They gladly did just that.

'We buried her,' said Flavie, sitting next to Akara. Blaise, Olena and Aliza sat down on the seat behind them, and Diane remained standing. She looked at Aliza and saw her face was distant. Worried, she pushed her lips together into a line as Flavie continued.

'We went to check on the farm as you said. They weren't home. We waited for them, since the door was open, and there were candles burning inside. But they didn't come home. Something's wrong, Akara. Something's wrong.'

'The coat was there, too,' added Olena quietly.

'Yes. Master Vama's coat.'

Akara slowly nodded, for a moment as distant as Aliza. She sighed, but only Flavie could hear.

'I understand,' she said, looking into Flavie's eyes, trying to ease her nervousness. But Akara herself was getting nervous. Finally, she touched the captain's thigh. 'Go to sleep, all of you. It was a long night, I can see. We will talk in the morning.'

All of them stayed where they were, and there was a moment of silence. Akara looked around, and then continued:

'Try to get some sleep. I'd like to speak to all of you at once.' She meant the scouts. 'Everyone will tell their story.'

'What about Kashya's party?' Diane asked. 'Do you think they'll come back tonight?'

'I don't know, Diane,' Akara admitted. 'Frankly, I think it's unlikely.'

'So they stayed at the village. There's something afoot there.'

It was a long way from the monastery to the village. If anything was going on there, Kashya's group wouldn't have the time to come back the same day. So it wasn't the delay that was troubling – it was the question of why did they have to stay.

'It can be anything, until they come back and tell us,' she said. 'Do not worry yourselves tonight. It might be just the villagers throwing a feast to them. And if it's something else, we all know they can manage.'

Everyone was looking at her. As High Priestess, it was her duty to calm them, to support them, even if she herself wasn't entirely solemn inside.

'It is only a matter of time. They will be home tomorrow. They are fine. Now, get some rest, please.'

Finally, the tired rogues complied and left. Akara, taking a last look to the altar, got back to her bedchamber too.

* * *

><p>The sound of metal on metal clinging filled the crisp morning of the monastery as Charsi was shaping an arrowhead on her anvil. The forge was hot, so many rogues came in for a moment when they had free time, and Charsi was good company. The cheerful blonde always had a smile to give, a joke to say, a laugh to share.<p>

This time, she was a bit more thoughtful. The arrowheads she was making were to replace some the scouts shot away yesterday. One of the groups had to run and couldn't retrieve theirs. Chased by a swarm of blood hawks into a cave where they had to wait for hours until it was safe to come out. A swarm of blood hawks. They never attacked people. Neither did wendigos or quill rats. Something was up, and now everyone knew it.

They didn't really tell the refugees. Akara didn't want panic, and she wanted to wait for Kashya's return. Who knew what was going on there in that village.

The High Priestess was standing near Charsi, near enough that she could hear her speak between hammer strikes. She tucked away a lock of white hair under her hood, and said, continuing their conversation:

'I don't want to seem grim, but these events are similar to what happened in Tristram. This might be some kind of aftermath. So be vigilant.'

'Can't you feel anything?' Charsi asked and hit the shaping metal with the hammer. 'If you can't neither of us will.'

'Oh, I feel something sinister,' said Akara. 'I just don't know what it means yet.'

'So we prepare,' the blacksmith asked, but it was more like a statement than a question.

'Yes,' Akara said, composing herself. She sounded reassured again. 'It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side.'

'As always, I agree,' said Charsi, then asked: 'Will we send out more parties? If so, they need to be better prepared.'

'Of course,' Akara said to the last statement. 'And we should wait for Kashya and the others to come home before we can talk about other parties.'

'Oh. Yes. I'm sorry.'

'No need to be sorry, child. Everyone's worried.'

'Even you?'

'Can't you see?' Akara replied and couldn't help but smile a bit. Charsi only nodded and finished shaping the arrowhead. She grabbed it with calipers and cooled it in water, making it hiss with a gush of steam.

'Akara?' asked a rogue who suddenly appeared in the door. She was a bit short of breath from running. She scratched her head, ruffling her blonde locks even more.

'Yes?' the High Priestess raised her head.

'There's, there is a man here. He is…'

Then she jumped, because the man was behind her, stepping into view and introducing himself:

'My name is Aidan. And I'd like to stay a while before I move on, if possible.'

He was a tall, handsome brown-haired man, although looking older than his actual age. He wore a simple brown robe over his armored leather vest and pants. There was also a sword on his belt and a small wooden shield on his back. Aidan. The warrior who killed Diablo under Tristram cathedral. Charsi was smitten.

Akara's face, on the other hand was suspicious before she hid it with a solemn face and turned to the man. The young rogue who brought the news and was apparently followed quickly stepped next to Charsi, trying her best not to appear very startled.

'The hero of Tristram,' Akara said. Aidan shrugged. The scar on his forehead was obscured by his hair, but large enough to be visible.

'What brings you here? Are you heading to the east?' Akara asked.

Aidan stepped inside.

'Yes. I felt I overstayed my welcome in Tristram, so it's time for me to go back to the east. I'm meeting an old friend there.'

He raised his brows, almost as if he was asking if Akara was satisfied with his answer. She crossed her arms gently, and nodded. Meanwhile Charsi set down her hammer and marveled at the rarely heard deep male voice. The guard girl looked at her excitement without understanding in her frown.

'You are free to stay,' Akara said. 'The midday meal is in a few hours.'

'I wouldn't stay for that long, if that's possible,' Aidan held out his hand. 'A simple meal of some bread and cheese would be enough. Then I'll be on my way.'

'In a hurry, I see,' Akara said. 'Fair enough. Come.'

She walked out the door and the warrior followed her. Charsi was following too, without a word. Aidan didn't look at her.

'Say,' Akara said on the way, 'Have you seen anything unusual in your travel here?'

'You mean the refugees? The animal attacks?' Aidan asked back, catching up a bit to the priestess.

'So you know about them.'

'Of course. I've seen them. There are refugees coming to Tristram from the surrounding farms.'

'Do you know anything about the reason for this?' Akara asked. 'Did Deckard Cain say anything about it?'

'He didn't. He's as clueless as us.'

They reached the dining hall. It was empty at this hour, but the kitchen fires were burning all day, and Visala the cook was always around. She was sweeping with an old broom when they came in. She too seemed a bit startled from the man's presence. It's not like the rogues rarely met men, it was Aidan himself who was intimidating with his towering figure and harsh voice.

'It started a few weeks ago,' he was saying. 'Then I left. I thought maybe I can find out something.'

'In the east?' Akara asked. Visala stopped sweeping and looked at them with a curious frown.

'There are scholars who could know more,' he said. 'And I'm sure to get through, I can take care of myself. Anyone else who can fight stayed to guard Tristram, or whatever village they were in.'

Akara could see Aidan was getting uncomfortable from her questions, although she didn't feel the questions were inappropriate. Maybe he picked something up from her tone that made him annoyed.

'Here we are,' she said to ease the tention. 'Visala, would you give the hero of Tristram something to eat?'

Aidan also seemed to dislike that title. Akara saw what Blood Raven said – despite being this well-spoken, the hero was not a man of words. Charsi tried to ignore this when the cook brought a wooden plate with some bread, cheese and ham on it.

Aidan sat at the table closest to the kitchen.

'I have a companion too, a man coming with me to the east,' he said. 'Could I have something to give to him too?'

'O- of course,' Visala said and went back to the kitchen to pack a meal in a cloth.

'Why is your companion not with you?' Akara asked.

'He's weary of the monastery,' Aidan said and he started eating. 'Or he just likes your guards and stayed behind to talk with them.'

Akara knitted her brows but could not resist a smile. She stepped to the kitchen door, watching Visala as she turned round and round the kitchen searching for something. Charsi sat opposite to Aidan and leaned forward. With big eyes she said:

'I admire tales from heroes like you. You see, I can't go around adventuring like you, so I rely on others to entertain me with stories. Oh, I'm Charsi, the blacksmith.'

Aidan chewed on a bit of bread and looked up at the excited blonde. Then he looked back to his plate and had a piece of ham.

'I'm sorry, but…' he started, and Charsi's brows went up, but then came another voice from the door.

'Aidan?'

Everyone looked up to see Blood Raven standing there, her mouth left open, staring at the warrior. She was wearing her dark red hair down, a rare sight. Maybe she just woke up.

'Raven,' Aidan said with a hint of a smile on his face. Charsi frowned, then broke into a broad smile.

'Raven!' she called out. 'Come, sit down, and help me hear a story or two!'

Aidan hung his head over his plate again. Raven passed Akara and sat next to Charsi, folding her hands on the table.

'What are you doing here?' she asked. The warrior swallowed a bit of cheese and looked up at her. His glanced over to Charsi too, who was getting discouraged.

'I'm going east, to visit a friend,' he said. 'I stopped for a meal to rest my legs a bit. I was hoping for some peace and quiet, but…'

Charsi blushed. Akara almost smiled. And Raven started nodding.

'Charsi,' she turned to the blacksmith. 'Why don't you wait outside for a bit, while Aidan has his meal? He's tired.'

It was Charsi's turn to nod.

'All right. I understand. Maybe some other time.'

With that, she stood up and walked out. As she passed Akara, she made a frown to the priestess. Akara shook her head a bit and left with her. Visala felt unwelcome too, so she followed them.

Outside, Charsi suddenly turned around to peek inside once more, and she could see Blood Raven touching the warrior's hand as she talked, leaning forward, looking into his eyes.

* * *

><p>A small but loud bell was sounded, its sound around the monastery walls, letting everyone know that the midday meal was almost ready. All rogues began to finish what they were doing and make their way to the dining hall.<p>

Aliza and Diane were walking down the cloisters when Flavie appeared in a doorway, alone. She seemed deep in thought, massaging her neck under her hair which was she washed and combed after last night's weather. Diane took a couple of longer steps to catch up to her.

'Flavie!'

The captain stopped and turned with her brows lifted. Diane motioned her to keep going, so they started walking towards the scents of cooking together, Aliza following them.

'Is it true what they say?' Diane asked, and looked back for a moment to encourage Aliza to come closer.

'About Aidan?' Flavie asked back.

'Yes. Is he really here? Or did he leave? Everyone says it differently.'

'He left a while ago,' Flavie said. 'But I don't know the details either. Charsi seems to know a lot, she couldn't shut her mouth about the man.

'So she actually met him?' Aliza asked. Her voice was quiet nowadays, but at least she was starting to talk again. Diane shot a relieved, loving glance at her when she wasn't looking.

'Yes. Although apparently he wasn't as she expected.'

They entered the dining hall which was already bustling with activity. Sisters sat down to eat, everyone talking while others were bringing the hot bowls of soup to the tables. The noise of constant chit-chat filled the hall. At the farthest tables, startled refugees were given seats, some of them were already eating, no doubt burning their tongues with the hot broth.

'There's Charsi,' Diane pointed to the blacksmith in the middle of telling a funny story to some of the Sisters - five rogues and a young priestess in her brown robe.

'Let's ask her then?' said - or asked - Aliza shyly.

'I'll come with you,' said Flavie.

They let a group of girls excitedly debating something pass, and made their way to Charsi's table.

'So this other boy came up to her too and asked if she could fire two bows at once,' the blonde blacksmith was saying with a big grin. 'She just stood there, making this face.'

She made a kind of scared and surprised face and made the others smile.

'Can we sit with you?' Diane asked. Charsi looked up.

'Of course! Diane! Oh, hi there, Aliza! Captain Flavie!'

The others at the benches scooted closer to each other so the three newcomers could sit next to them. Flavie pulled an empty plate lying around in front of herself and grabbed the ladle sticking out of the big bowl of soup, having some for herself.

'You want to hear the story, right?' Charsi leaned closer to Diane and Aliza sitting in front of her. She had a mischievous smile on her full face. 'The story of Aidan the warrior?'

'Oh, that,' said Flavie, smiling as she sat back down with her bowl of soup.

'What if we do?' asked Diane with a small smile of her own.

'I'll tell you because it's a great big secret,' said Charsi.

'It's not a secret, you gossip,' laughed one of the rogues. 'He was here. What's so secret about that?'

'Oh, I don't know, the part with Captain Raven, maybe?'

'That's could be anything,' said the priestess, looking up from her spoon under her mouth.

'What about Captain Raven?' asked Aliza, her eyed darting around the Sisters sitting around her.

'Charsi thinks Captain Raven and Aidan like each other,' the rogue said. 'Only because she saw…'

'Hey, hey, it's my story!' Charsi called out, hitting the table.

'All right, I won't steal it,' said the girl, lifting her hands. 'I'll just eat my soup.'

'What did you see?' asked Diane.

'Where is Raven anyway?' Flavie asked after swallowing some of the delicious broth.

'She's back at her quarters ever since. That's what I'm trying to tell you,' Charsi said. 'Now everyone just hold off and listen to the story from the beginning.'

* * *

><p>Akara stood in front of Raven's door which she closed behind herself a while ago. The rogue captain was sitting on her bed with an unmistakably sad expression on her face.<p>

'I would leave you alone with this,' the High Priestess said, 'but I can see something's very wrong. And you haven't talked about what happened back there ever since you came back. Everyone is worried about you. I'm just trying to help you Raven.'

'I know,' Raven said and nodded. 'But I can take care of it myself. You know I'm strong.'

'It's not about that. You are home, you don't have to be strong. Especially not for me. We've known each other for a long time, have we not?'

'Akara…' Raven started, but did not finish. Akara looked at her for a minute, then stepped to the bed and sat down next to her.

'What worries you so much, my child? Something you've seen? Something Aidan said to you today?'

'He… he wasn't like I remembered him. That's all.'

'What do you mean? Was he not friendly with you?'

'It's not that,' Raven shook her head. 'Just… give me time, to think this over. I cannot talk about it right now.'

'Fine. But whenever you feel the need, you can talk to me, as always.'

Raven nodded and looked away. A frown swept over Akara's face. Once again, she couldn't quite place the feel that poked at her mind from the shadows.

After a while, she asked:

'Will you come with me and eat something? You must be hungry.'

'I'm not, to be honest,' Raven said and looked at the priestess. 'But I'll come with you. I can't sit around here all day.'

They both smiled.

'Come, then,' Akara said standing up. Raven stood too, but before following Akara outside, she stepped to her desk and took a plain ribbon from it. She tied her hair back in a few well-practiced seconds, and went outside to the corridor, closing the door behind herself.

'Ah. Your hair,' said Akara who didn't understand the reason for the slight delay.

That is when the surge of feeling hit her. And apparently, Raven too.

'Did you just…' she said, looking at Akara with a puzzled look.

Then the screaming started.

'What is that?'

From the direction of the dining hall, everyone seemed to erupt in screams. Something was very wrong.

Akara and Raven both ran towards the noises. The dining hall wasn't far - they had to pass the open cloisters, go past the smithy…

But as they stepped out of the corridor to the gloomy sunlight they found themselves almost barging into an evil army.

They both stopped in their tracks, their hearts stopping a beat as they saw the demons on the courtyard moving towards the screams where the rogues were. Those screams, it was a battle!

Small but vicious-looking, red-skinned, horned Fallen were talking in their infernal tongue, crude, sharp sabers and maces in their small hands. Among them, even scarier sights, tall, hairy goatmen marched brandishing halberds and spears, towering over the numerous small demons, their hoofed feet clacking on the ground. None of these were a new sight to Raven.

But where did they come from?

A fallen spotted Akara and Raven, calling out to its kin on its guttural voice, shaking its head, sending its black hair flying around. Raven did not have her bow, but didn't hesitate to take her knee up and draw a dagger from her right boot swiftly. As the monsters turned to attack them, she met them head-on.

'Oh no!' Akara screamed. Fires were already burning as the torches of the Fallen flailed around the trees and the grass. Blood Raven was a blur.

She collided with the first fallen, burying the dagger's blade in its left eye. Its cry was cut short. She ripped the blade out with a line of blood in the air and twirled, holding her hand out. The motion crossed paths with another monster's neck and tore it open. A third on was slain too, stabbed in the throat, before the demons could even react.

There were thirty or so of them on the yard, and more than half of them turned to deal with Raven and Akara. The rest ran on to join the attack on the dining hall where the screams got louder – fortunately, a good part of it was the fallen's voices crying out. Most of the rogues carried knives around like Raven, although not for self-defense but for practical reasons.

Raven stabbed another demon, then danced back from the slash of a saber. She lashed out with her foot, catching the monster in the face with her boot. She did not hesitate to cut down the staggered foe who was grabbing its nose, crying out. Another one came, and Raven kicked the mace out of its hand, leaving it defenseless. In the next second it fell to the ground, clutching at its throat and kicking with its short legs.

One of them reached Akara, two others running close behind. The High Priestess held up her hands.

'Back, fiends!' she yelled and released a blinding flash of light from her palms. The monsters staggered. Akara shouted again, and there was another, more focused ray of light which burned the demons. They flailed around, backing up, their faces and bodies bursting into foul-smelling flames.

'Akara!' cried Raven and moved to the side to get in front of the priestess. There, she got face to face with a goatman. It bleated loudly and raised its battleaxe over its head. Raven was faster and cut at its stomach. The axe came down though, but she stepped out of its way, and it clung on the stone ground. She finished the abomination off with the blade wedged in the skull right through its ear.

As she jumped forward and buried the dagger into another fallen's skull the demons started getting scared and backed away from her, letting the goatmen between them and the rogue captain. She ducked for a moment, picked up a demonic saber and jumped into the fray now with weapons in each hand.

Akara stepped closer to help. Holding her hands out again, she blinded the closest goatmen who bleated in pain in unison. Raven ran them through, cutting one's head off with the razor-sharp fallen blade, stabbing one under the chin with her dagger, tackling one to the ground with her shoulder and ducking from a spear's blind flailing, stabbing it in the process. She kicked the legs out of another, which was easy because of their hooves slipping on the stone.

The fallen were running now, abandoning Raven and Akara to join their kin instead. Raven lost the sword when she thrust it into another goatman's stomach and it wrenched itself away to fall to the ground. She slashed at the eyes of one with the dagger, blinding it in its own dark blood, then slashed at another. It was lucky though, as it parried the attack with its horns. Raven rolled away from another one, running at her at full speed, only to get caught by Akara's burning ray of light, its legs running out from under it.

'We have to get to the others!' Akara yelled, enveloping the goatman on the ground in light and burning its wicked life away from it. Raven agreed. She stabbed another goatman in the stomach three times in a blur, took the spear out of its hands and hit it in the nose with the pommel. Another hit in the temple under its left horn sent it down on the ground.

She threw away the dagger, killing another monster by getting it right in the eye. The spear was heavier than the ones the rogues used, but it was still deadlier than a simple knife. With a fierce battle cry, she turned back a bit and ran at the second to last abomination blinded by Akara's magic. Holding the spear in front of her she impaled the monster and pushed it down. She ripped the tip out and parried the blow of another spear with the pole. There was a flashing ray of light and it burned out the eyes of the last goatman. It dropped its spear, clutching at its head. Raven sent its soul back to the Burning Hells.

Without answering Akara, she held the bloody spear ahead of her and turned to chase after the retreating fallen. Akara followed behind her, her purple cowl slipping down from her head.

Raven was faster than the child-height red demons. One heard her cry and turned back while running, in time to see the rogue impale a comrade who was falling behind. Raven twirled and swung the spear wit all her strength, bashing in the skull of another demon, then held the weapon over her head and came down jumping on the next one, skewering it downwards from its shoulder.

That is when she saw the shaman. It was taller than the others and had greater horns on it head, and it wore jewellery made of bones of which many seemed to be human. With a staff in its hand, he pointed at Raven and Akara and called out to its soldiers with a lower, louder voice than what the others had. And out of the gaps what the retreating ones left came a wave of frenzied reinforcements, some of them with shields.

'Look out!' Akara cried. Raven ran at the charging demons and felt the heat of an infernal fireball passing over the fallen's head. She ducked her head just in time not to get burned. It was the shaman, wielding evil magic.

Raven was sliding on her bottom now, holding the spear out. One unfortunate fallen ran right into the tip and got impaled. The rogue pulled back the weapon with the body and kicked it off, sitting on the ground. Rising to one knee, not standing up, she met the incoming demons. She hit the shield out of the closest one's hand and stabbed it in the heart - demons had their hearts just the same place as people. It fell on the ground, and another one vaulted over the body, getting a stab in the neck for its effort.

Raven shifted her balance and stepped forward while still remaining ducked on her knees. Another fireball passed her, but that was not intended for her. Akara dissipated it with her holy light. Raven fought on, felling two demons at once with one swing of the spear's tip, following the motion with a sweep at the next one's legs, sending it flat down on its stomach. One reached him and slashed at her with its sword. She parried, then the monster tried to bash her with its small shield. It was a strong hit, but she hit back with the pole of the spear, sending her foe falling on its behind. She skewered it with the tip, then pushed it off, right into another charging fallen.

Then, to her dismay, one of the dead sparkled and started getting back up, its neck wound closing rapidly. Another one sparkled and that one stood up too to rejoin the fight, right as Raven killed the demon closest to her. The resurrected ones attacked her slightly from the behind, forcing her to stand up and jump away. As soon as she was on the open again, the shaman sent off another glowing ball of fire.

Akara stepped closer and shielded Raven from the fire with a surge of light. The rogue could hear her wheezing breaths. The High Priestess was powerful, but she was getting tired.

'Hold them!' Raven shouted to Akara who was standing right next to her now. She had to get to the shaman. As a light erupted from Akara, burning every fallen around her, Raven ran one down and pushed forward.

She didn't look back to see how Akara was faring. She needed to be swift. She didn't attack the next wave of demons, but dodged their attacks and stepped through their ragged ranks. Some of them turned to follow her, but she paid them no heed. She dodged to the right from a fireball which wasn't even close to her this time. Running in full speed now, she jumped over a shorter fallen, then dodged another ball of fire to the left.

The shaman was yelling something on the top of its guttural voice. The fallen around it were trying to form a protective barrier, but they were disorganized. Ducking from the next fireball which went off to the sky, she impaled a demon, ran it through with the spear, and caught another one behind it. Viciously, she pulled it out of both of them, and twirled to the right past one which was trying to hit her with all its might with its black mace. The shaman was pointing at the rogue, shouting even louder, panic in its primitive voice. Raven dodged between two sword strikes, getting even closer.

When she was no more than five steps away, the shaman started backing up, but almost stumbled when it stepped on another demon's foot. It wasn't shouting orders now - what came out of its sharp-teethed mouth was a long, angry and fearful cry as it pointed with the staff and let off another fireball. Raven saw it coming even before it was cast, and stepped to the side. Kneeing a fallen in its sharp, hooked nose to send it out of the way, she raised the spear with one hand, adding her battle cry to the shaman's, and with the motion of throwing it - only still holding on to it - she brought the spear's edge down, running the foul leader's skull through its mouth, coming out with a crunch at the back of its head.

Then did she turn and look at Akara who was surrounded by tumbling, staggering, flailing, screaming demons sizzling and fuming from the holy fire.

'Back! Back!' Akara cried. The fallen were in panic now. Only twenty or so of them were left on the battlefield, and with their shaman dead, they lost their confidence. Blood Raven did not show mercy. One demon ran past her, and she grabbed it by one of its horns. Its legs ran out from under it, and it was lying of its back. Raven brought the spear down to its heart, twisting the edge with a growl. She stepped in front of another fleeing one who screamed in terror as she skewered it and left it to bleed out, turning away from it.

She could feel herself tiring a bit as she went after the fleeing fallen. Akara stood among the burned corpses leaning on her knees with her hands to catch her breath, then followed, getting closer to the dining hall where the sounds of the battle were still raging on.

'No! No!'

Raven tried to ignore the High Priestess' horrified cries and steeled herself for what was to come, while moving swiftly from enemy to enemy, delivering the finishing blows to the attacking fallen host. Only two of them had the courage to fight back, but one-on-one against the rogue captain they didn't stand a chance, and went down as fast as the others.

Finally they ran to the dining hall. What they saw was horrific, but still better than what they expected.

The rogues inside pushed the monsters out to the courtyard, shedding their blood at the stone floor and columns. Only twenty or so fallen and four goatmen remained. A middle-aged rogue was holding one of the bleating goatmen down as a girl with her dagger stabbed it repeatedly in the chest. A wounded Sister was coming out the hall to see the battle, keeping her hand on a seeping wound on her side.

Raven jumped into the fray, entering the fight by tackling a goatman into a group of fallen. She stabbed with her spear, into a demon's gut, wrenching the edge out. The rogues were glad to see their captain. She could see Aliza among the fighters, wielding two daggers, burying both blades into a charging goatman's shoulders and kicking the abomination back. Another girl brought it down on the ground and kicked at its face.

In less than a minute, the battle was over. Diane struck the last blow, grabbing a fallen from the back and slashing its throat. It died coughing blood, kicking on the ground until it was over. Only the cries of the wounded remained.

'Where did they come from?' asked someone. It was a good question.

Akara, sweat running down her forehead grimy from the smoke around her, stepped forward. A tree was burning, the hungry flames howling at the silence of the aftermath.

'Is everyone all right?' the High Priestess said, a teardrop mixing with the sweat on her cheeks.

The rogues were silent. From inside, a crying woman could be heard. Everyone stood unmoving, looking around, afraid to look anyone in the eye. Finally, Flavie spoke:

'They snuck up on us. Most of us could fight back, but the refugees, the panicked… Not all of them could make it.'

'Most of us?' asked Raven, getting stuck at the first half of the account. 'Did everyone make it? From us!'

She stepped in front of Flavie who bit her lip and looked at her boots for a while before looking up again.

'Visala didn't make it. She tried helping the refugees. Heather and Debi were injured. Debi is.'

'Let me see them,' Akara said.

'I'm here,' said the injured Heather with the wound on her side. 'Debi is worse, go to her first.'

Akara nodded and passed her, stepping into the dining hall. Her hand went up to cover her mouth.

Bodies of demons and people were lying among the tipped-over tables and benches. Blood was splattered on surfaces, weapons were lying around. The crying woman was a refugee, grieving for her husband lying face up. The woman was trying to touch the sword sticking out of the man's chest, but always flinched away and wailed on. Visala was lying face down, the corpse of a goatman under her, her hand on a dagger protruding from a fallen's ear. She bled out from five stabs and cuts on her legs and stomach, and two large wounds on her back.

Debi, a thirty-year-old rogue with tousled light brown hair was lying on a table, surrounded by five Sisters. One of them was holding her hands on a rag covering the gaping wound in her stomach. She coughed. Akara stepped closer, passing five dead fallen and a young refugee boy's corpse, trying not to look into his open, frightened eyes.

'Akara, please!' one of the rogues said. The refugee woman was still crying in the corner. The High Priestess touched the hands of the girl holding the rag on the wound.

'Let me see,' she said.

'I helped as I could,' a young blonde priestess said. 'She's not in danger anymore, but it still hurts.'

'Thank you, child. Good work,' Akara said and removed the rag. She put her hands on the wound and closed her eyes. The light which burned the demons came out of her palms again, and it slowly healed Debi, who had tears in her eyes from the pain.

'Thank you,' she moaned.

'You will be fine. Don't get up yet,' said Akara, then she went back outside to see Heather. Some rogues were coming back to the dining hall, unsure of what to do, not daring to touch anything. Two of them were standing close to the wailing woman, watching her with their mouths trembling.

Akara found Heather leaning to a column while Diane was leaning to the side, looking at the cut on her side.

'It's just a flesh wound,' Heather said.

'I agree, fortunately,' Diane said, then she saw Akara and stepped back. Akara healed the rogue without a word. As she was done, Blood Raven stepped in front of them.

'They came from the inside,' she said. 'The gate wasn't attacked'

'From the inside?' Diane asked. 'But…'

'There is only one place they could come from,' Raven said, her voice steely and cold. 'The catacombs, Akara.'

Akara shook her head.

'The catacombs and the jail were sealed long ago,' she said. 'But I'm afraid the gates down there weren't built to keep demons in.'

She wiped a tear from under her eye.

'There is a portal of Hell down there, Akara,' Raven continued. 'I talked to the others. We're going down there.'

'Let me go too,' Diane said immediately.

'No. My team from Tristram will come with me. The rest of you will stay here and seal the entrance to the jail.'

The five rogues who were at Tristram stood behind Raven, determination in their faces. They were veterans. Diane nodded and didn't argue. Blood Raven's words were orders now, not suggestions.

Akara looked Raven in the eye for what seemed like an eternity. Then she nodded.

'Be careful. We will be waiting for you.'

'We will find out what's going on,' Raven said. 'Guard the stairs, seal them with magic. We'll call out when we come back.'

Everyone understood. Everyone was still in shock from the attack, and no one argued with what Raven said. The followed the group of veterans and went through the cathedral defiled by the feet of demons. At the back of the church Akara opened the door downwards with her key.

The Sisters watched as Blood Raven and the five rogues disappeared into the darkness. After that, they all stood in the church with their heads bowed, shrouded in silence.

* * *

><p>Akara was lying on her bed, looking at the ceiling. Outside the rogues were still working: the dead refugees were laid out respectfully in the dining hall with sheets covering them, Visala was put onto a cart in a coffin to take to the burial grounds, and the demons' corpses were burning outside the monastery walls, guarded by twenty rogues. It was their idea for Akara to lay down for a bit. They were concerned for her as she was exhausted.<p>

She could not sleep of course. It didn't even particularly feel like resting either.

She swallowed. She knew that she should have been a leader for the Sisterhood, a point they can trust on being there. But in reality, she was worried sick.

Diablo was defeated. Hell's assault failed. Why then did demons undoubtedly from the Burning Hells attack the monastery? What was going on? Why wasn't the dread of Hell gone from Sanctuary?

All answers she came up with were dire. Every possible reason was terrible. There was no chance of peace. People were dying. And somehow, she was supposed to stay on top of it all, and safeguard the way to the East with the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye.

'Where is she?'

The voice came from outside the room. Akara sat up with a start and went outside to see Kashya barge in, followed by a guard trying to slow her down.

'Where's Raven?' the red-haired captain stopped in front of Akara. She was desperate and angry. She smelled of sweat and her nails were black. As she stood before the High Priestess, three more rogues entered the cathedral to stand behind her with concern on their faces.

'The monastery was attacked, Kashya,' Akara said, but Kashya interrupted her.

'I heard. I saw the bodies! Where is Raven? When did she go down?'

'Please, Kashya, control yourself.'

But Kashya just got louder. The whole church was echoing with her demanding words.

'When did she leave? When did they leave?'

'A little more than an hour ago.'

'I'm going after them,' Kashya said and started for the stairs. Akara grabbed her hand and was almost pulled to the ground.

'The entrance is already sealed.'

'I can catch up to them! I won't let her go there alone!'

'She isn't alone.'

'She isn't with me! I'm not there! I'm going down there!'

'Kashya!'

Akara's yell echoed through everyone's mind. Kashya stopped, looking at the High Priestess fighting her tears back.

'You will not go after them,' Akara said, her voice reverting back to the usual quietness. 'They will come back. Your place is here now. You are the Captain in Raven's absence. Everyone needs you here.'

'Akara, I… I should have come sooner, I…'

'I know that you came as fast as you could, child,' said Akara, stepping closer and placing a hand on Kashya's shoulder. The captain put her neck on the old woman's shoulder and hugged her.

Blood Raven and the Tristram veterans spent a whole day down at the catacombs.


End file.
